u3a Photograph Album 2017
This Page contains Photographs taken during Group activities in 2017
Sections Out and About
Monday 27th March, 25 members met in Birmingham and were given a guided tour by Blue Badge Guide Mary Moore.
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May 4th, 36 members had a tour of Rugby School.
At least two centuries of Rugby’s history are written in the stones and other monuments to tradition that stand around the School Close, where in 1823, local lad William Webb Ellis, with a fine disregard for the rules of football, took the ball in his arms and ran with it, originating the game of rugby football.
The players then were more numerous: in 1839, when Queen Adelaide visited the School, it was School House (75) versus The Rest (225). To read more about the history of the school follow this link: www.rugbyschool.co.uk/about/history/.There follows a set of photographs taken on the day of Balsall Common u3a's visit.
The Death Cart was used to remove the injured from the playing field
Outside the School Museum
The Queens Gate
Prince Harry at the School
The Close where Webb Ellis picked the ball up and ran
Rugby School was also influential in the creation of the Modern Olympic GamesInside the Rugby School Church, with its stained-glass windows and opulence
The entrance to the Birching tower where corporal punishment was carried out. This was in use until 1960
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Chedham's Yard Wellesbourne
On Thursday 14th September, 27 members of Balsall Common u3a had a private visit to Chedham's Yard in Wellesbourne, Warwickshire. We were guided around the site by costumed guides and had a demonstration by a Blacsmith and a Wood Turner. After the tour we all enjoyed a cup of tea and selection of cakes in the visitors centre.
Chedham's Yard is a prize-winning heritage site. Hidden away in Wellesbourne, it is a well-kept secret a blacksmith's and wheelwright's workshop dating from the early 19th century.
The Yard was run by five generations of the Chedham family, the last of whom, Bill Chedham recently passed away. The Yard is crammed with tools, equipment and items made onsite along with the materials to make them.
Because of dwindling business in the mid 1960s the last member of the Chedham family laid down his tools and walked away. The yard was forgotten and fell into decay. Around 2002 the Parish council bought the site and started the long road of restoration. The Yard has been restored with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and BBC Restoration after it beat churches, chapels and a gallery to win the BBC Restoration Village television programme in 2006.
Photographs are by Alan Cross and Peter Calver
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Photography Group Photo Shoots
April 20th 2017 members of the Photography Group went to the University of Warwick and took photographs along the Sculpture Trail. Below are some examples of their work.
The first group of Photographs were taken by Ken Bone
The Following by John Bolt
Photographs by Roy Hands
These by John Hayes
Tony Ladwiniec photographs
The Following by Derek Robbins
Finally a set by Robert Zhilmor
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On 17th June a number of u3a Photographers took their cameras to Hawkesbury Junction
The following Photographs were taken by John Bolt
The following Photographs were taken by Malcolm Duncan
The following is the work of Roy Hands
The following prints were taken by Iain Roxburgh
Finally these photographs were taken by Robert Zhilmor
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Ramblers Group
On 18th January on a dull dismal day 33 members met at the Newbold Comyn Arms for a 4.5 mile walk to towards Offchurch. The walk was led by Barbara and Phil Hammond
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Tuesday 7th February on a bright day, over 30 Walkers and a dog met at the Boat in Catherine-de-Barnes and enjoyed a 4 mile walk that passed a Castle, Mill and an Old Green Goddess. The walk was lead by Martin Richards.
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On 7th March, 40 ramblers, the largest number ever, met at the Brickmakers Arms, Station Road, Balsall Common and walked towards Burton Green, led by Peter Whalley, surveying the countryside that will be lost to housing expansion and the HS2 rail line.
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On a bright sunny spring morning, Wednesday 15th March, 30 members of the Rambling group met at Hatton Country World and enjoyed a pleasant 5 mile circular walk towards Hampton on the Hill. The walk was led by Margaret and Chris Burleigh.
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On a bright sunny day 2nd May, 35 ramblers met at the Bulls Head in Barston and took a circular walk to Springfield house, Temple Balsall and back to Barston. This walk was led by Madeline and John Peat
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Tuesday 4th July, 28 intrepid walkers met at the Red Lion, Earlswood and enjoyed an eventful walk around some of the lakes, across Fulford Golf course, dodging the golf balls. On the return leg they did battle with 5 foot high broad beans growing in a field and only a very narrow pathway. The walk was led by Alan Buckland
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Wednesday 19th July, 23 walkers met at the Tipperary Pub, Meer End and enjoyed a 4.5 mile circular walk. The walk was led by Lynda and Paul Moore. Not to be out done by the previous walk where the walkers had to fight through 5 ft high Broad beans. Lynda and Paul arranged that the walk had to pass through a field of maize growing 7ft high.
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Tuesday 1st August, 28 walkers met at the Bulls Head at Barston and enjoyed a 5 mile walk across to Eastcote and back. The walk was led by Angela Watkinson and Lin White .
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Wednesday 16th August members of the Rambling Group met at Yarningdale Common and enjoyed a 5 mile walk across the common, along the canal returning via High Cross and Holywell. This walk was led by Martin Richards.
The photographs were taken by Jim Henry.
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Tuesday 5th September, 18 hardy members of the Rambling Group met at the George in the Tree and enjoyed a 5 mile figure of eight walk first across to Berkswell and then towards the Saracens Head. The day started with heavy rain but cleared as the walk got underway. This walk was led by Richard Drake.
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Tuesday 3rd October, 14 members of the Rambling Group met at the Bulls Head at Brinklow and enjoyed a 6 mile walk across fields and along the Oxford Canal to Easenhall then returned by another route. This walk was led by Francis Critoph and Sandra Heard. At the beginning of the walk we passed the site of Brinklow Castle which is a Norman earthwork motte and bailey fortress, founded by Robert de Mowbray. The large and impressive 11th century motte, is encased by a wide ditch, with a counterscarp bank. A high rampart, with a wide ditch surrounds the large bailey, which is separated into two wards, by an inner rampart and ditch. This well preserved earth and timber castle, was probably abandoned by the 13th century.
The Remains of Brinklow Castle
Negotiating a narrow gap between a bridge wall and barbed-wire fence
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Wednesday 18th October was a rather dismal autumn day but never-the-less 25 members of the Rambling Group travelled to the Kings Head in Aston Cantlow. Geoff Kennedy led a walk from the pub across to the hamlet of Newnham returning via Aston Cantlow church.
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Tuesday 7th November, 20 Ramblers gathered at the George in the Tree in Balsall Common to walk across to the Saracens Head, then Barston before returning to the start point. The weather forecast was not good, after 30 minutes of walking the rain started and continued for the rest of the walk. The walkers continued undeterred by the conditions. This walk was led by Martin Richards.
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Wednesday 15th November on a mild autumn day, 25 ramblers met at the Fleur de Lys and enjoyed a walk from the pub to Yarningdale Common, Preston Baget church and returning via Preston Fields and Coppice Farm. The walk was led by Alan Buckland.
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U3A Swing Division
Photographs taken at the Band's rehearsal on Tuesday 24th January 2017
Photographs taken by Craig Horner and Anne Watkinson
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U3A Swing Division at the Festival in the Park 2017
On September 23rd 2017 the U3A Swing Division is now well established and played their fourth gig at the Balsall Common Festival. There follows photographs taken by Bill Fine and Robert Zhilmor
Founder and Co-ordinator of the u3a Swing Division Nick Carter
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